Recent reportage in the trade media has featured prophecies of doom, (regrettably with legitimate foundations) but there was a very heartening story, which I hope will receive greater coverage. Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah and his brothers have purchased Roundhill Stud in County Limerick. They stated that they hoped to have fifteen to twenty mares and their dream was: “TO BREED A DERBY WINNER.”  He acknowledged that this was hard, but it had been the dream since they started raci

A good while ago, I was fortunate enough to know Alfred Vanderbilt, who was the main owner in the stable that I worked at. He was a very...

The final day of Royal Ascot may overshadow a noteworthy sponsor. UNITE: the trades union is associated with a few races at Ayr. Who...

The recent round of breeze-up sales has come to an end at the same time that changes to the conditions of the Windsor Castle Stakes have...

The trash talking between a couple of prominent American based owners provided an amusement to the climax of the European sales season....

A familiar theme of this column is to reassert the racing horse before the breeding cart. The reverse has been a repeated error...

Unpalatable though it may be, sometimes one must eat humble pie. The admirable Charyn has forced it down my throat this season. I can not...

Before the advent of unlimited books of mares, it was usual to sell stallion prospects off of the racecourse to syndicates formed in the...

One of the foremost scourges of modern society is the promotion of style over substance. One of the worst failings of racing's leadership...

The first round of yearling sales have been conducted and the perception is that the market is falling. At least, that is what we say Up...

The midsummer showpieces have been run and, as usual, several of the best performances have come from Ballydoyle inmates. They should be...

The Triple Crown is the Holy Grail of the sport and hasn’t been won for more than seventy years. That should make it more desirable, not...

“In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.” Tuesday opened with a renewal of The Queen Anne Stakes described as “far from...

Germany’s initiative to impose a ban on racing animals less than thirty months of age has been met with a range of reaction from disdain...

The Pattern was first implemented in 1971, with a total of 18 Group One races. The proliferation of black type opportunities has not...